Buying an Irish car - Help please

[David Davies]

I wondered if some kind person could help with my rather hazy knowledge of buying an overseas car. I am looking at maybe buying a historic car that was originally registered in Dublin and spent most of its life there. It currently resides in a large collection in Northern Ireland having moved there in the last few years, not sure whether pre or post Brexit. It has not however been put on DVLA and so would need to be registered on there by me, and I wonder whether it would be possible to retain the original Irish registration - it has the original buff log book. It is a particularly attractive original registration of three letters and three numbers. I also wonder whether there are any customs duties given that it is stll registered in Ireland although physically in the UK.

Can anyone remind me of the process/hassle involved if I go ahead, on top of transporting it over here?!

[johnw]

We recently had our UK car MOT'd in NI while it was over there, keeping the UK plates and insurance, and registration, all was relatively straightforward. There are "cultural" differences booking an MOT but they seem to work within the DVLA system.
It would be helpful to establish if it is considered an Irish car, or a Northern Irish (ie UK) car. It seems you don't know that.

No idea what happens next tbh! However this is from the DVLA,
If it is a Northern Irish car it will have a V5C(NI) document that is sent to DVLA Swansea:

"Bringing your vehicle in or out of Northern Ireland
If you are a UK resident you can move your vehicle freely between Great Britain and Northern Ireland if all of the following apply:

it’s registered in either country
you’re not moving it to sell it, or for any other commercial purpose (for example, using the car as a taxi or hiring it to someone)
the car is for your own or your household’s personal use"

The car would already be yours if you bought it prior to moving it to the mainland. Also Northern Irish cars are registered at DVLA. Maybe that means you can just put your UK address on the NI document and send it to DVLA?

[David Davies]

Thanks John. It is still Irish registered, not on DVLA. Not MOT’d as far as I know. I’m unclear on what happens if I try to ship the car before I have sorted out the DVLA position, including retention of the original registration. Also whether 5 per cent VAT is payable?

[Mark1Stu]

If its a buyers market perhaps the seller could be persuaded to register it in NI as a condition of sale - covered by a relatively small deposit?

[David Davies]

It’s up for auction so I can’t impose conditions

[Chris_R]

A historic vehicle, that is one that is at least 30 years old, is substantially original with no modifications, will not be used on a daily basis and forms a "work of historic interest" can be imported into the UK with zero import duty and 5% VAT payable. There is a specific customs tariff for this, under chapter 9705.
It is best to apply to HMRC for a BTI before the car arrives to the UK port of entry. The BTI will state the total cost of the vehicle when landed in the UK and the duty and VAT therefore payable. It will also require a NOVA certificate and MOT before the car can be registered with the DVLA. A NOVA should be executed within 14 days of the car's arrival. Quite how that will apply for Northern Ireland I am not sure. Possibly after the auction it should go back to the Republic and be imported to the UK from there, to arrive at a port served from Dublin whereupon the relevant duties can be paid.
I don't think it can retain the Irish registration when registered at the DVLA.

[johnw]

I would have a chat with the auctioneer. If it is a larger car auctioneer, they will be very cautious about VAT and property recording the sale otherwise they can be held liable. With a mainland DVLA registered vehicle the auction house now insists on putting the car in an individual person's name before delivery unless I confirmed I was a dealer. Other motor auctioneers, I recall a Swiss car Holland, said car was effectively bonded and EU VAT would need paying before release unless it was to be exported.

[David Davies]

Thanks Chris, as usual an extemely helpful and well-informed reply. Thanks also John for your various observations. I am rapidly going off the idea of buying it given the mega hassle and uncertainty, probably it’s best going back to Ireland. Though it’s just my kind of thing, there will be other fish in the sea. I raised a couple of queries with the vendor (a collector/dealer) via the auctioneer on the reg and HMRC position but no response, never a good sign . . .

[Fat Roofer]

Good morning,

It may or may not be helpful, but when buying my car, the previous owner lived in Guernsey, and although part of the British Isles, I still had to "import the car" back to the UK. This was something I had never done before and felt quite involved especially as the online instructions can be confusing! I found calling the DVLA was very helpful, the person I spoke to helped by breaking down each step and actually saved me from filling some unnecessary forms (that I thought I needed) which saved alot of time! As rightly mentioned earlier, it will need a NOVA certificate before you can register it with the DVLA which is (I believe) for HMRC purposes (probably to prevent money laundering through the buying and selling of cars). I'm pretty sure you can ask HMRC to apply for the NOVE certificate for you and also the transport/freight company are usually able to apply for it on your behalf (especially if they are transporting it from one country to the other). I have found a link that may be helpful to you along with the contact number for DVLA and HMRC.

https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-i ... lling-hmrc

DVLA vehicle registrations
0300 790 6802

HMRC CARS team
ecsm.nchcars@hmrc.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 322 7071


Good luck with your prospective acquisition!

Steve

[David Davies]

That’s all very helpful, Steve, and I’ll bear it in mind for the future.

Right now due to family care commitments it’s probably all too complicated. A couple of things put me off the car and vendor in Northern Ireland. He’s described on the website as a private seller. If so he’s bought the car and failed to register it with DVLA and not paid VAT. He indicates it’s still registered with the Irish authorities, very probably still in the previous owner’s name. So it puts one in a weird situation, ChrisR suggesting the car should probably go via Dublin. In fact I believe this person described as a ‘high end collector’ is probably a dealer and has kept his options open by retaining the original registration on the car as it may well be bought by someone in Ireland.

The other large fly in the ointment for me is the very appealing original Irish registration which ChrisR advises would not be retained when registered with the DVLA.That detracts from the provenance of the car. Even if all the above was OK, I can’t actually be away from home to view the car in NI and talk directly to the vendor.

So I think I need to be sensible and see what comes up over the next year or two involving a straightforward transaction.

[Fat Roofer]

Probably the sensible decision David, I'm sure it's hard to pass up when you've already been looking for a while, but I'm positive the right one will come up soon enough!

I wish you the best of luck with your continued search

Steve